Former Detroit Tigers shortstop Alan Trammell: one of the best of his era: he played 20 years in the majors, was a six-time All-Star, won four Gold Glove awards and was the MVP of the 1984 World Series

FORMER DETROIT TIGERS SHORT-stop Alan Trammell debuted in the major leagues on September 9, 1977 in the second game of a double-header against Boston. In that same game, teammate Lou Whitaker started at second base for the first time. Through 1995, Whitaker and Trammell would go on to play a total of 1,918 games together in the field for the Tigers, forming the most enduring double-play combination in major league history.

"I think the two of us had a drive," said Trammell. "I think, deep down, you're talking about two individuals who had a lot of dedication. When the Tigers organization in 1976 moved Lou Whitaker from third base to second base, we went to instructional ball and started working together as a doubleplay combination, hoping that maybe someday, (playing together in the major leagues) would happen. Well, it happened rather quickly, and we were able to play for a long, long time together. We had some ability, but I think the intangibles and the dedication allowed us to play a little longer than some people might have thought."

Trammell was one of the cornerstones of the 1984 Tigers team that won the World Series title after winning 104 games during the regular season:

"The 35-5 start we had that year was amazing," said Trammell. "I think as you get older, you appreciate things a lot more. We won 17 games in a row on the road to set an American League record. Everything went our way that year, and our great start in '84 gave us confidence.

"We still played some pretty good baseball the rest of the way. (Manager) Sparky (Anderson) told us later on that the coaching staff was very nervous because if we hadn't won the whole thing, everybody would have forgotten about the great start and all the things that we had accomplished. But because we were able to cap it off with a World Series victory, it is remembered as one of those great years."

In spite of the team's stellar performance in 1984, no Tigers hitter drove in more than 100 runs and no Detroit pitcher won 20 games or struck out as many as 150 batters during that season:

"None of our hitters had a career year in 1984," said Trammell. "It was a lot of guys having good, solid years. I really think the best way to describe that team is that we were getting contributions from top to bottom, and we had a good solid pitching staff. Our bullpen was very strong. We had the MVP and the Cy Young winner in Willie Hernandez that year. It was just one of those seasons when it clicked. The next year, we had the same team, basically, but there were some injuries and, for whatever reason, it didn't click. But in 1984, it clicked."

[ILLUSTRATION OMITTED]

During that '84 season, Trammell had a 20-game hitting streak from August 5 through August 22, during which he batted .407. Another highlight for Trammell that season took place on May 8. In the seventh inning of a game in Kansas City with the Tigers trailing 2-1, Trammell hit a grand slam off of Royals star reliever Dan Quisenberry, leading Detroit to a 5-2 victory. It was the first grand slam that Quisenberry had given up in his career.

"Quisenberry threw one of the few pitches that he ever got up and that you could lift. He was a ground ball pitcher, and I hit a lot of ground balls off of him. But that one time, he got a pitch up, a little elevated, and I was able to get some lift off it and to hit it out of the ballpark."

After sweeping the Kansas City Royals in the 1984 American League Championship Series, Detroit beat the San Diego Padres four games to one to win the World Series.

"For me, that World Series was a little extra exciting because I grew up in San Diego," said Trammell. "I had been to the ballpark many times as a youngster. And then to be able to go and play on that field in the World Series, it was very special."

In the 1984 Fall Classic, Trammell hit .450 with nine hits, two home runs, and six runs batted in. In Game 4, a 4-2 Tigers win, Trammell drove in all of Detroit's runs with two two-run homers.

In the first inning of that game, with Whitaker on first base, Trammell homered off San Diego starting pitcher Eric Show to give Detroit a 2-0 lead. In the third inning, following a single by Whitaker, Trammell homered off Show again. Trammell also singled in the fifth inning.

"I was selected the MVP of that World Series, which is great," said Trammell. "But honestly, it could have been Kirk Gibson or Jack Morris. The fact that we got the ring was the most important thing. I'm extremely glad that I was hot at that time and was swinging the bat well. But it didn't matter who was the MVP. It was a matter of 'we won.'"

Trammell was born on February 21, 1958 in Garden Grove, California. Detroit selected him in the second round of the amateur draft in 1976. Trammell's path to the big leagues was quick, and he was in the majors to stay beginning in September 1977. The next year, he began a streak of 13 straight seasons with at least 100 hits.